Ji So-yeon Ji, Seattle's OL-Rain, The Highest Ever Transfer To Daewoo

Jimesh Ji So-yeon (Suwon FC) will advance to Seattle in the world's strongest U.S. Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in the new year.

According to an official from the women's soccer transfer market on the 23rd, Ji So-yeon's transfer to Seattle OLain is imminent. Ji So-yeon chose to go to Suwon FC in the WK League in May 2022 after playing for Chelsea Women for eight seasons in England. Despite Chelsea's objection and a love call from multiple teams in the U.S. League, Ji chose to return to Korea with a determination to better prepare for the 2023 Australia-New Zealand Women's World Cup with fellow players in the WK League. The Suwon Facilities Management Corporation changed its name to Suwon FC Women, and chose Suwon, the only soccer club in Korea that simultaneously operates a K-League-WK League team. With the development of Suwon Women's Soccer, Ji dreamed of leading the WK League's boom and creating a healthy rivalry with Incheon Hyundai Steel, the "absolute first place."

Ji's year 2023 did not go as she hoped. She failed to win a single game at the World Cup, which she had aimed for the round of 16, and failed to achieve her goal of participating in the Paris Olympics, the "golden generation's long-cherished dream." Ji successfully brought Suwon FC Women into the WK League championship game in November last year, and scored multiple goals in the first round, but her dream of winning the league was far from being achieved after losing to Incheon Hyundai Steel in the second round (2-6). After the remarkable strides of the world's women's soccer, the Korean women's soccer team and the golden generation's decline were noticeable. Ji, who came back with a desire to revitalize the WK League and develop Korean women's soccer, was also disappointed.

Ji So-yeon, the "helping king" of this season with 16 games and six assists, said after winning the midfielder of the year award for the second consecutive year at the 2023 Korea Women's Football Federation Awards last month, "I feel very heavy this year. Women's soccer has played many big tournaments, but I failed to bring the result. In order for the national team to become strong, the WK League needs to become strong. I hope you do your best where the players are now." Looking at her mid-30s, she decided to try again after much consideration.

The world's strongest U.S. league was a stage that Ji wanted to challenge someday, as she played as the No. 10 ace for Japan's Kobe Aynak and England's WSL Chelsea Women. With multiple clubs interested in it, OL Reign is the most aggressive in recruiting players. It recognized the value of world class Ji and promised the highest annual salary and the best option ever. Negotiations for transfer fee with Suwon FC Women have begun. Choi Soon-ho, head of Suwon Samsung's "Korean soccer legend," also agreed to transfer based on the professional principle that if Ji's value is recognized, she should send the player to the team in a big way, while Park Gil-young accepted Ji's future at the risk of losing her power. Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-joon on Sunday finally approved Ji's transfer as a grand victory for the development of Korean women's soccer, which is imminent to advance to the U.S. women's soccer league.

Ji So-yeon is the third Korean player to challenge the NWSL and the first player to advance to the English, American and Japanese leagues since Lee So-dam, who moved to Blue Sky FC in the fall of 2016 when she entered the Western New York Flash.

Laura Harvey (43), a former Arsenal manager in the Women's Super League (WSL), wanted "Chelsea Legend" Ji So-yeon. Coach Harvey, who watched "Wizard" Ji So-yeon play at the Club World Cup and Kobe Aynak match when he was the Arsenal Women in 2011, has been at the helm of OLain since 2013, served as the head coach of the Utah Royals in 2018 and the U.S. women's under-20 national team in 2020, and returned to the OLain coach in 2021 to lead the team to the second place in the league last season. OLain, home to Seattle, Washington, is also famous for the team of U.S. national team "Charismatic Captain" Meghan Rapino, who led the Women's World Cup to two consecutive wins in 2015 and 2019. It is expected that Ji So-yeon, a "World Class" player, will fill the vacancy after Rafino, an 85-year-old striker who has been the center of the team since 2013, retired last year. 토토사이트